Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Natural and Plantation Forests in China
Ecological stoichiometry is essential for understanding the biogeochemical cycle in forest ecosystems. However, previous studies of ecological stoichiometry have rarely considered the impacts of forest origins, which could help explain why to date so much uncertainty has been reported on this subjec...
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/5/755 |
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| author | Lin Li Lei Liu Zhen Yu Josep Peñuelas Jordi Sardans Qifei Chen Jiangbing Xu Guoyi Zhou |
| author_facet | Lin Li Lei Liu Zhen Yu Josep Peñuelas Jordi Sardans Qifei Chen Jiangbing Xu Guoyi Zhou |
| author_sort | Lin Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ecological stoichiometry is essential for understanding the biogeochemical cycle in forest ecosystems. However, previous studies of ecological stoichiometry have rarely considered the impacts of forest origins, which could help explain why to date so much uncertainty has been reported on this subject. In this study, we tried to reduce this uncertainty by examining carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in roots, litter and soil in both natural and plantation forests throughout China. The sampled forest sites were divided into three groups according to the identified succession stages: early (ES), middle (MS) and late (LS) stages. Our results show that soil C, N and P concentrations were significantly higher in natural (NF) than in plantation (PL) forests. As succession/growth proceeded, P concentrations significantly increased in litter, roots and soil in NF, while the opposite occurred in PL. These results indicate that NF are able to use P more efficiently than PL, especially in the LS. Furthermore, the higher root N:P ratio indicates that the growth of PL was limited by P in both MS and LS. Our results also suggest that geographical and climatic factors are not the dominant factors in the differences in P between NF and PL, and, even more clearly and importantly, that native forests with native species are more capable of conserving P than planted forests, which are frequently less diverse and dominated by fast-growing non-site native species. These results will help improve biogeochemical models and forest management throughout the world. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:53:44Z |
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| id | doaj.art-fcac2394b3764884aa0a6b3785476f72 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:53:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-fcac2394b3764884aa0a6b3785476f722023-11-23T11:02:15ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-05-0113575510.3390/f13050755Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Natural and Plantation Forests in ChinaLin Li0Lei Liu1Zhen Yu2Josep Peñuelas3Jordi Sardans4Qifei Chen5Jiangbing Xu6Guoyi Zhou7School of Environment Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaInstitute of Ecology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaInstitute of Ecology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaGlobal Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, CSIC, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, SpainGlobal Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, CSIC, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, SpainInstitute of Ecology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaInstitute of Ecology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaInstitute of Ecology, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaEcological stoichiometry is essential for understanding the biogeochemical cycle in forest ecosystems. However, previous studies of ecological stoichiometry have rarely considered the impacts of forest origins, which could help explain why to date so much uncertainty has been reported on this subject. In this study, we tried to reduce this uncertainty by examining carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in roots, litter and soil in both natural and plantation forests throughout China. The sampled forest sites were divided into three groups according to the identified succession stages: early (ES), middle (MS) and late (LS) stages. Our results show that soil C, N and P concentrations were significantly higher in natural (NF) than in plantation (PL) forests. As succession/growth proceeded, P concentrations significantly increased in litter, roots and soil in NF, while the opposite occurred in PL. These results indicate that NF are able to use P more efficiently than PL, especially in the LS. Furthermore, the higher root N:P ratio indicates that the growth of PL was limited by P in both MS and LS. Our results also suggest that geographical and climatic factors are not the dominant factors in the differences in P between NF and PL, and, even more clearly and importantly, that native forests with native species are more capable of conserving P than planted forests, which are frequently less diverse and dominated by fast-growing non-site native species. These results will help improve biogeochemical models and forest management throughout the world.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/5/755C N P stoichiometrynatural forestsplantationssuccession stageclimatic factors |
| spellingShingle | Lin Li Lei Liu Zhen Yu Josep Peñuelas Jordi Sardans Qifei Chen Jiangbing Xu Guoyi Zhou Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Natural and Plantation Forests in China Forests C N P stoichiometry natural forests plantations succession stage climatic factors |
| title | Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Natural and Plantation Forests in China |
| title_full | Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Natural and Plantation Forests in China |
| title_fullStr | Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Natural and Plantation Forests in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Natural and Plantation Forests in China |
| title_short | Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Stoichiometry in Natural and Plantation Forests in China |
| title_sort | carbon nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry in natural and plantation forests in china |
| topic | C N P stoichiometry natural forests plantations succession stage climatic factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/5/755 |
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